A Brookdale Community College (BCC) student will receive a full scholarship and a $22,500 stipend this year after being selected for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Scholarship for Service (SFS) program.
Upon successful completion of the year-long program at Brookdale, Jason Fomuke, of Monroe, will be eligible for a full scholarship and a $22,500 stipend at the Stevens Institute of Technology, where he will also complete a high-level internship and prepare for a cybersecurity career with the federal government, according to information provided by BCC.
Fomuke will also receive an annual allowance of up to $9,000 for books, health care expenses and professional development services.
The SFS program, hosted in New Jersey by the Stevens Institute of Technology, is designed to encourage students to pursue careers in cybersecurity and help recruit the nation’s top computer science graduates to work for federal agencies, according to the statement.
Brookdale is one of only 15 community colleges in the country to participate in the program.
“I’m honored to be selected as an SFS student,” said Fomuke, a second-year computer science major carrying a 4.0 GPA. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work to get here and it feels like it paid off. Now I don’t have to worry too much about the financial aspect of my education. I can put all of my energy into my academics, refine my skills and focus on my studying, knowing that everything is covered. It’s a huge opportunity.”
Throughout this year, Fomuke will hone his skills as a “cybersecurity warrior” while engaging in a variety of extracurricular activities, including visiting the AT&T Global Network Operations Center in Bedminster and networking with more than 80 federal employers at the SFS job fair in Washington D.C., according to the statement.
Fomuke is the second Brookdale student selected to join the SFS program. Manalapan resident Michael Giacona was selected for the program in 2016, and has since graduated from Brookdale and transferred to the Stevens Institute of Technology. One of only eight SFS students currently studying at Stevens, Giacona has also earned a professional cybersecurity credential and interviewed for an internship with the CIA, according to the statement.